Gaming Just Got a Whole Lot Easier

Console Vs PC Gaming

Ask any given gamer, and he (or she) is bound to have strong opinions about the topic of which device gives the better overall gaming experience, the PC or the Console. The reality is that the two platforms are so different, that it’s almost impossible to do a head to head comparison. Having said that, we’ll certainly do our best!

The Console – Strengths and Weaknesses

One of the best things about console games is that you load the disc, and it works. You’re ready to play in mere seconds. No installations, and no settings to tweak. If convenience is your thing, then console games are for you, no question about it.

Aside from the ease of use and convenience, there’s the fact that a lot of great titles are exclusive to the console. Relatively few developers make games that are exclusively for the PC. Note here, that there are exceptions. If you love indie games, you won’t find many that are made for consoles. Also, deep strategy games are typically the exclusive domain of the PC. It would be hard to fathom how you could play a true grognard-style strategy game via a console controller. A keyboard is all but required for that sub-genre. For most mere mortals, however, the console controller is simply easier to use and more intuitive.

Having said that, the sheer convenience of the console as a platform also underscores their key weakness. The lack of options. You get the vanilla game, period. Sure, you can adjust some basic settings, but compared to the vast pool of customizations available to PC gamers, what you can tweak on your console is a pale shadow.

The PC – Strengths and Weaknesses

PC gamers tend to scoff at consoles. They prefer to control every aspect of their gaming experience, and the PC lends itself well to this. PC games tend to have longer playable lifespans than their Console counterparts, specifically because of this moddability.

Did you beat Skyrim in a week-long marathon session? No worries, if you’re a PC gamer. You can download one (or more) of the 22,000+ mods for the game and keep exploring! While you occasionally see some of this in the world of the Console, it’s nothing compared with what you get in PC versions of any game on the market today, and that’s not likely to change.

PC’s are also simply more powerful than Consoles. They can do more. Graphics tend to look better, sharper, and crisper. Anything the Console can do, the PC can do better, but that power comes at a price. You’ve got to be willing to manually install the game, then tweak the settings, and as any diehard PC gamer can tell you, there’s no guarantee that the game will run after you make changes, which can lead to lots of time wasted and frustration.

So which is better? At the end of the day, what it really comes down to is what kind of gamer you are, and what kind of gaming experience you’re looking for.